The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 496 (Color Image)

0496	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

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MARCO POLO BooK III.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF ADEN.

You must know that in the province of ADEN there is a

Prince who is called the Soldan. The people are all

Saracens and adorers of Mahommet, and have a great

hatred of Christians. There are many towns and villages

in the country.

This Aden is the port to which many of the ships of

India come with their cargoes ; and from this haven the

merchants carry the goods a distance of seven days

further in small vessels. At the end of those seven days

they land the goods and load them on camels, and so

carry them a land journey of 3o days. This brings them

to the river of ALEXANDRIA, and by it they descend to

the latter city. It is by this way through Aden that the

Saracens of Alexandria receive all their stores of pepper

and other spicery ; and there is no other route equally

good and convenient by which these goods could reach

that place.'

And you must know that the Soldan of Aden receives

a large amount in duties from the ships that traffic

between India and his country, importing different kinds

of goods ; and from the exports also he gets a revenue,

for there are despatched from the port of Aden to India a

very large number of Arab chargers, and palfreys, and

stout nags adapted for all work, which are a source of

great profit to those who export them.2 For horses fetch

very high prices in India, there being none bred there,

as I have told you before ; insomuch that a charger will

sell there for I oo marks of silver and more. On these

also the Soldan of Aden receives heavy payments in port

charges, so that 'tis said he is one of the richest princes

in the world.3

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